Russia bans image of Putin in drag, labeling it 'extremist' material

A woman holds a poster depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin during an August 2013 protest in front of the Russian embassy in Madrid, Spain, against Russia's new law on gays. (AP Photo/Paul White)

By
Joy Johnston, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

MOSCOW
—

Russia's justice ministry has banned an image of President Vladimir Putin in full makeup that has been frequently used in protests across the country.

The image has been added to the country’s list of banned “extremist” materials for “implying the supposed nonstandard sexual orientation of the president of the Russian Federation,” according to the justice ministry’s citation. As The Guardian pointed out, it was not clear which photo in particular the ministry had banned, as a social media search turns up a variety of images of Putin in drag.

Activists started Photoshopping images of Putin in drag after the government banned "gay propaganda" in 2013, which forbids people from equating heterosexual and homosexual relationships and bans the distribution of gay rights materials.

After the Wednesday ruling, activists took to social media to post images of Putin in drag.